Teaching during clinical practice: Strategies and techniques used by preceptors in nursing education

The preceptor is a nurse who teaches and supports the student and is seen as pivotal to student learning within the clinical setting. Earlier studies have shown that preceptors' pedagogical competence is significant for facilitating learning during clinical practice. However, studies describing pedagogical competence, especially in terms of teaching strategies, seem to be scarce. The aim of this study was to describe which strategies and techniques preceptors use to teach undergraduate nursing students during clinical practice. The study had an ethnographic approach; methods used were participant observations and focus group interviews with nurses who were experienced in precepting undergraduate nursing students. Findings illustrated how preceptors used different strategies and techniques in a continuous process of adjusting, performing and evaluating precepting. Increased knowledge on how the preceptors actually teach student nurses during clinical practice will help facilitate educational programmes for preceptors, which will enhance their pedagogical skills and competences. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.